(Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, started on p. 49)
“I’m hungry.” He said it aloud. In normal tones at first, then getting louder and louder until he was yelling it. “I’m hungry, I’m hungry, I’m hungry.”
When he stopped there was a sudden silence, not just from him but the clicks and blurps and bird sounds of the forest as well. (This is where I started writing.) “Aren't we all?” a voice answered from the forest. Brian quickly grabbed his hatchet. “Put down the weapon, I mean you no harm.”
A young girl stepped out of the forest, and onto the sand. From the looks of her, she had been here much longer than he had. Her long hair was tangled and uneven, and her unkempt appearance was really quite frightening. The only thing not tattered was a small bag hanging from her shoulder. Brian took a step back, with the hatchet in hand.
“Don’t trust me, I take it.” She smiles, as if this was all a joke. “If you were really hungry you would come with me.” She turns her back to him and walks back into the forest. Realizing she wouldn't come back, Brian follows the young girl, against all better judgement, into the forest.
After a while of walking in silence, the girl stops at a tree trunk and takes some fish out of the bag. “Wait, the food was in your bag?” Brian asked, confused.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you give it to me by the lake?”
“Because there is more protection in the woods, so if you attack, I can hide.”
Brian asks no more questions, and wolfs down the fish. After he is done, the girl leads Brian back to the lake.
“Now, I must leave.”
“But then I will be alone again,” Brian protested.
“It is for the better,” the girl replied.
The girl took off for the big rock. Climbing quickly, she was half way up by the time Brian got over to it. As she climbed, she dropped her bag.
“Wait! You dropped your…” Brian started, but the girl was already gone.
He was alone again in the Canadian wilderness.
~Mackenzie
Very nice Mackenzie!
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome!
ReplyDeleteGreat work Mackenzie!
ReplyDeleteGood job! I really liked it :)
ReplyDelete